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Sunday, September 06, 2009

Last Sunday, we talked about hiding clues. There are, of course, lots of things you can hide in a book. Emotions, feelings of your characters. Truth, lies. Wishes and desires. Family lineage. Knowledge. Power. Fears. Connections and memories. Secrets.

There are plenty of things you and your characters don’t hide. Things in plain sight for the reader to see, learn, know, identify with, believe in, understand. Some are true. Some are false.

What’s real? What’s not? What’s hidden? What’s in plain sight? As the writer, you have to play fair. That doesn’t necessarily mean revealing all up front, but it does mean revealing. At some point. To the reader. Characters may continue to hide things from each other, but eventually the reader needs to know the truth, to know whether they were right or wrong.

Some things you the author can reveal right up front. Look, here it is. But although revealed, it’s still hidden. In among all the other revelations. All the other clues, emotions, pieces of the truth, objects, colors.

I might lay out a clue early in the book, and in such a way that a person might miss it, then I leave it alone. Through out the book that clue in playing, hidden, in the background, only to show it's face in the end as a significant piece of information. Basically, I want the reader to forget about the clue, and only remember it when I call it to their attention later.

I think sometimes even I don't know until later in the book what my character has hiding... Then you have to go back and weave it all in so it makes more sense. I guess that's the problem with being the type of writer who doesn't outline first...

Sometimes I don't realize I've left a clue until one of my characters does something later in the story. Other times, I plant them carefully as soon as possible. And like someone else said, sometimes I add them on second draft.

I tend to drop clues along the way like bread crumbs, but unforutnaltey in very tall grass. And since I'm an anal planner everything is sorted out beforehand. I'm curious how much re-writing must be done when characters suddenly change the plot. With mystery I find planning is paramount, including planning where to hide clues.

I don't really plan out my clues. I plan out my plot, and then write. The reader tends to discover the clues at the same time the detective does. I try to use misdirection to keep them guessing though.

I think the slow reveal is important for all aspects of story in all types of stories. For character development, for setting, for plot, as well as for clues.~jon

Playing fair is very important in mysteries, so I have to be careful never to hide any clues from the reader if it's something the protagonist knows. When I tried to end a chapter with my sleuth finding something important but not revealing what it was (fully intending to tell more in the next chapter), my editor said no way.

So for mysteries at least, the reader needs to have the same information as the protagonist (or detective) and a fair chance to solve the crime.

I'm not a mystery writer so I can't speak to this. But I will say that I love to read books that get me right at the very end (like Shutter Island or The Life of Pi) where, when I've gotten to the final revelation, I'm not sure whether I want to throw the book across the room or start reading it all over again :-)

I'm not a mystery writer so I can't speak to this. But I will say that I love to read books that get me right at the very end (like Shutter Island or The Life of Pi) where, when I've gotten to the final revelation, I'm not sure whether I want to throw the book across the room or start reading it all over again :-)

Angel Sometimes by Helen Ginger

Angel Sometimes

Helen Ginger

Helen is the author of five books: three non-fiction, a short story anthology and a contemporary fiction, Angel Sometimes. She maintains an informational and interactive blog for writers and a weekly e-newsletter that has been going out to subscribers around the globe for thirteen years. She is an owner-partner and Women’s Marketing Director for Legends In Our Own Minds®, which specializes in creative networking opportunities for companies and groups.